Chapter 296: Chapter 296
Alex examined this steel-wire-like black fur carefully for a moment and stored it in his storage ring. Subsequently, with a casual wave of his hand, he plunged the dagger into that patch of skin on the lower leg that had lost its fur protection.
The Giant Demon minor leader suffered the pain and let out fierce, furious roars.
But because its chest was still pierced by the Forbidden Magic Stone, it was completely unable to struggle free.
Aurelia frowned, focusing her gaze to look closely. It turned out that around Alex’s index and middle fingers, two spiritual energy silk threads were wrapped, connecting to the blade of the dagger.
Using the dagger and silk threads as a medium, he was directly siphoning the blood from the Giant Demon’s lower leg, condensing it into a blood-red orb of light that appeared in his palm.
"Mission accomplished." Alex smiled faintly, storing this blood-colored orb of light into a jade slip. He retracted the dagger, turned around, and walked up to Aurelia.
"Your Majesty, thank you for being so generous as to allow me to visit this dungeon. After I return, I will definitely have the elders carefully study this, striving to discover a method for the Human Race to combat the Outer Realm Demonic Race."
"It should be I who thanks Saint Lord Alex instead." Aurelia said with a smile.
"If you can truly research a method to combat the Outer Realm Demonic Race, then for the entire Heavenly Flame Dynasty, it would be an act of boundless merit. I shall temporarily rely on Saint Lord Alex for now, quietly awaiting your good news."
Having collected the Giant Demon’s fur and blood, Alex’s goal for this trip was complete. He had no mood to drink any more wine, and not long after, he stood up to take his leave.
Aurelia spoke up. "Saint Lord Alex, if I remember correctly, tomorrow should be the day of your Hale family’s Heaven Sacrifice Ceremony, right?"
"I didn’t expect Your Majesty to actually remember the affairs of my Hale family. It truly makes me feel overwhelmingly flattered." Alex nodded and smiled.
"Correct, tomorrow is exactly my Heaven Sacrifice Ceremony, and this year happens to be exactly the five hundredth year of my ascension to the throne."
Aurelia said with a beaming smile. "I already learned of this matter long ago, and the congratulatory gifts have been prepared in advance. When the time comes, I will naturally bring Lily and Selene to personally come and offer my congratulations."
Alex instantly looked thoroughly flattered. "Your Majesty is burdened with ten thousand affairs a day. How could I dare trouble you to personally attend? It truly humbles me far too much!"
"Saint Lord Alex offended Saint Lord Malakai and Saint Lord Alistair for the sake of my Heavenly Flame Dynasty’s affairs. I naturally ought to go and prop up the scene for you." Aurelia smiled faintly.
"What, does Saint Lord Alex not welcome me?"
"Welcome, of course you are welcome." Alex understood Aurelia’s temperament, so he didn’t exchange too many pleasantries, smiling faintly, he cupped his fists.
"With Your Majesty personally gracing us with your presence, it will definitely bring immense glory to my humble Hale family. I will inevitably reserve the most honorable primary guest seat for Your Majesty."
"Good, then tomorrow, we shall meet there."
...
On the road leaving the Heavenly Flame Capital and returning to the Holy Land, Alex’s mood could be described as tremendously joyful.
Not only during his own five hundred years on the throne, but even including the Heaven Sacrifice Ceremonies hosted by all previous Saint Lords of the Hale family, they had never had such a special honor.
When the family’s strength was relatively prosperous, the Heavenly Flame Imperial Family would at most casually send a member of the royal family to offer congratulations as a token gesture.
To have the monarch of a dynasty personally bring gifts to offer congratulations, he was probably the first Saint Lineage Saint Lord to possess such an honor.
Although the matter of rescuing the Empress previously caused friction with Alistair and Malakai, he had gained a powerful, ironclad ally in the Heavenly Flame Empress.
From today onwards, as long as it was within the borders of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty, whether discussing strength, connections, or background, no one could rival the Hale family anymore.
"Right now, the strength of the family has basically stepped into its peak. Even without me as the Saint Lord, as long as Aurelia remains on the throne for a single day, she can definitely guarantee a day of prosperity and peace."
"In that case, I should probably start thinking about my own matters."
He had stayed at the peak of the Supreme Realm for some time now, unable to advance further.
Discussing combat power, relying on the Six Paths Wheel of Destruction Technique and the Three Great Artifacts, Alex was fully capable of contending with a Saint Realm mighty figure. However, he had never launched a breakthrough towards becoming a Saint.
Because Alex was worried that after becoming a Saint, he would inevitably ascend to the Immortal Realm.
If he went to the Immortal Realm, the mortal family, losing him standing guard, would inevitably attract the revenge of his enemies. Alistair, Malakai, and the still-fleeing Garret, for example.
If the junior disciples were slaughtered by enemies, it wouldn’t just be his dereliction of duty as the Saint Lord.
It would also mean that his source of Providence Points would effectively be cut off.
The vast majority of the main family disciples had received massive investments from him.
As long as their cultivation wasn’t embarrassingly low, the returns were consistently several times or even dozens of times greater. Especially geniuses like Lucas and Julian, who were existences that could generate massive profits from small investments.
In other words, right now, everyone in the Hale family was equivalent to Alex’s wage workers.
Every time they broke through a realm, they provided Alex with a Providence Point reward.
